Self-Esteem of Students in Regular and Special Classes

Abstract

134 boys and 53 girls enrolled in Grades 1 to 7 in the Edmonton Public School System participated in a study designed to determine the self-esteem and perception of ability of academically successful and unsuccessful students. Subsidiary purposes were to determine the relationship between self-esteem and perception of ability and to describe the effects of special class placement on self-esteem. Academically successful students scored significantly higher than academically unsuccessful students in self-esteem and perception of ability as well. The correlation of .70 between self-esteem and perception of ability for all students was significant: special class placement enhanced self-esteem.